Loughborough Students 38 – 24 Lymm

Lymm turn up late

Lymm travelled the relatively short distance to Loughborough on Saturday to take on one of the pre-eminent sides in University Rugby with a proud tradition of, over many years, producing a stream of players who have succeeded in the professional ranks and at international level.

The first ever encounter between the two teams produced a high scoring, feast of running rugby that left both players and spectators breathless. The question now was, how would the return fixture measure up against that exciting match?

The Lymm squad showed just the three changes from the squad that took to the field against Redruth the previous week with captain Nathan Beesley returning after a 6-match absence and James Pitcher and Max Ure replacing the unavailable Rob Makin and Rhys Lilly.

Loughborough kicked off in bright, benign conditions and immediately Lymm were on the back foot, as a knock-on in gathering the ball handed the Students a scrum, 30m out from the Lymm line.

Quick first-phase ball allowed centre Joseph Pannese to take a short pass at pace and splinter the Lymm defence to stroll in under the posts for a try, converted by fly half B Webb. 1 minute gone and Lymm were down 7-0.

The next 20 minutes was a period of contrasting styles with the Students looking to run the ball from anywhere, utilising the exceptional pace of back line, or kick for field position, whereas Lymm were happy to go through the phases to gain territory.

An excellent break by scrum half Tom Manaton earned Lymm a penalty; the catch and drive from the resultant line-out looked for all money to be heading for a try, only for a Loughborough forward to emerge with the ball. A little later a cross-kick by fly half Tom Shard found Beesley in space on the right wing, but the last gasp Loughborough defence was just sufficient to halt the Lymm man.

Then, on 18 minutes, a brilliant 30m break by young back rower Isaac Millachip took play well into Loughborough territory, only for the flanker to be forced from the field with a serious looking knee injury, sustained in the tackle. On 20 minutes though, it was Loughborough who added their second when hooker Matthew Sell broke through the middle of a ruck to run in unopposed from 5m. Webb added the extras. 14-0.

Back came Lymm and put together a really good attacking move to within 10m of the Loughborough tryline, but the final pass from Ste Pilkington failed to find either of the Lymm players who could have strolled in to score.

Then a game of “kick tennis” didn’t go Lymm’s way when the Students’ right wing Ben Roberts, collected the ball well inside his own 22, put on the afterburners to show real pace as he went on a diagonal run into Lymm’s 22, before floating out a pass to allow his fellow winger, Louis Callow, to score in the corner, for an unconverted try. 19-0 after 24 minutes.

There then followed another period of relative calm on the scoreboard, although both teams had their chances – notably for Lymm when Beesley was hauled down inches short following enterprising play by the Lymm backline. Loughborough then came close when Callow was forced into touch just short of scoring.

From the resultant lineout a Lymm clearing kick failed to make much ground and after a couple of phases the Students’ scrum-half Rhys Hulse bounced through a couple of tackles to score. Webb again converted. 26-0 after 35 minutes.

Then to put the tin-hat on a hugely disappointing half for Lymm, prop Connor van Lille, scored from a rolling maul.

Half Time: Loughborough Students 33 – 0 Lymm

At half time, the reflections were that Lymm were clearly second best, having been confronted by a very good side, with both pace and power, who would run from anywhere. However, they had had 3 or 4 excellent opportunities to score but hadn’t taken (or been allowed to take) any of them.

The half-time talk would almost certainly have focused on execution and converting pressure into points – but clearly there was a mighty hill to climb if Lymm were to get anything out of the fixture.

In direct contrast to the first half, the second started positively for Lymm as Loughborough were adjudged to have infringed from the kick-off. This was the first of 3 penalties awarded in quick succession, allowing Lymm to put immediate pressure on the Students’ defence, with a series of attacking lineouts.

A well-executed rolling maul from the third of these allowed hooker Pitcher to score, 15m in from the left touch. Shard’s conversion narrowed the deficit to 33-7.

Next Cal Morris looked to be striding in under the posts, only to be brought back for obstruction spotted in the lead-up. Then Loughborough’s Callow looked odds-on to score when he collected a clever kick behind the Lymm defensive line – only for an outstanding Joe Heaton cover-tackle to halt him in his tracks.

On 66 minutes, Lymm were adding to their tally. The ball was sent the width of the pitch towards the left wing, and then back infield where Cormac Nolan put an excellent flat pass into Pilkington’s breadbasket. The Lymm centre clattered through the Students’ defensive line and into the acres of space behind, to run in unopposed from 30m for an unconverted try. 33-12.

A few minutes later, with play inside Lymm territory, Oli Higginson broke through the middle of a ruck, off-loading to Morris in support. A huge kick by the Lymm man saw the ball dribble over the tryline. The Loughborough defender, deciding to run the ball from deep, hadn’t bargained for the efforts of Beesley and prop Matty Hand to chase the kick and was caught behind his own line.

He managed to link with a teammate, but a rushed clearance kick only found Nolan on Lymm’s left flank. A couple of phases later and the ball was again in the hands of Nolan whose pass found winger Paddy Jennings, who bounced off through a couple of tackles to score an unconverted try. 33-17 after 69 minutes.

A few minutes later the Students gained possession and spent several minutes camped in Lymm’s 22. Lymm defended valiantly but, eventually, fly-half Webb ghosted through a gap to score from 5m. His conversion attempt from wide-out missed, leaving the score at 38-17 after 79 minutes, with sufficient time left for one last play.

Lymm managed to get their hands on the ball and in moving the ball away from the ruck, Students forward Jake Bausor slapped the ball down earning Lymm a penalty and himself a yellow card. From the penalty Lymm set up a rolling maul which Loughborough frustrated illegally. The second penalty went even closer to the tryline and this time, the well-constructed maul gave Pitcher the chance to cross the whitewash for his second and Lymm’s fourth, bonus point, try. Shard’s “in-off the upright” conversion made the final score 38-24.

Full Time: Loughborough Students 38 – 24 Lymm

After the match, Director of Rugby Adam Fletcher gave an honest but constructive account: ‘A really disappointing day at the office. Loughborough started the game with far more intensity, physicality and accuracy, and we didn’t match that early on, which allowed them to build a lead.

‘The second half showed much more fight and character, and to come away with a try bonus point reflects that response. However, the damage had already been done.

‘As a group, we need to address how we start games, bringing intensity from the first whistle and ensuring we’re properly in the contest by half-time,’ he concluded.

Lymm’s next fixture is on Saturday 24th January 2026 when they host league leaders Camborne at Crouchley Lane, KO 2:00.

Team: 1. Ben Lilley (31); 2. James Pitcher* (101); 3. Matty Hand* (9); 4. James Yates* (148); 5. Ben Thompson (63); 6. Isaac Millachip* (19); 7. Josh Hadland (c)* (73); 8. Oli Higginson* (293); 9. Tom Manaton (39); 10. Tom Shard* (157); 11. Paddy Jennings* (93); 12. Joe Heaton* (11); 13. Ste Pilkington* (96); 14. Nathan Beesley*(c) (99); 15. Cal Morris (78).

Bench: 16. Joe Higgins* (34); 17. Jack Lightbown (10); 18. Max Ure* (10); 19. Lewis Stewart (4); 20. Cormac Nolan* (219).

( ) = number of Lymm First XV League appearances

* Former Lymm Academy/M&J player

Referee: Mark Hyde

Match Report: Andy Leach